I liked your Dubai leader (鈥淎fter the goldrush鈥�, 30 October, page 3) and I was interested to read about the future reliance on Indian QSs and off-site services

In my opinion, that鈥檚 always been an option, but it was the clients that demanded European or Australian QSs and the local presence of a back-up team. Times have moved on, but if anything, I am expecting clients to become more focused on quality than cost. That benefits everybody in the longer term.

Despite the high cost of doing business here in Dubai and the UAE, people are still choosing this country. I don鈥檛 see that changing. Last summer, the exodus that many predicted never materialised.

As for the expectation Saudi will take over: forget it. The mediocre will head there, no doubt, but the quality will stay in the UAE.

The top man from an architectural outfit I know keeps me informed of how things operate in Saudi. The huge developments moving forward there all use US and European architects and planners, not Indians, and the design has to be done in the US or Europe. The contract demands it. They want quality and they know where it is.

Stephen Fidler, Exacta Consulting

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